"Silence! I won't listen to a word until we are in the office," commanded the irate teacher.
"He started the whole thing," came from Tubbs. "He called me Tubby, and got the crowd to singing a song about me."
"I had nothing to do with the song, and all the boys have called you Tubby since you came here," went on Sam.
"Be quiet, I tell you!" cried Jasper Grinder, and clutched the arm of each so tightly that Tubbs set up a yell of pain. "I am master here, and I will show you how to mind."
At these words Sam's heart gave a sudden drop. It was Friday afternoon, and the next day would be, as usual, a holiday. Taking advantage of this fact Professor Strong had gone to Buffalo to visit a sick relative residing there, and only an hour before Captain Putnam had been driven away behind his team to visit an old army friend living at Fordview, twelve miles away. Professor Strong would not return until Monday morning, and it was more than likely the captain would remain away over night. During this interval Jasper Grinder would be in absolute charge of the academy and the pupils.
In a few minutes the teacher had led the way into Captain Putnam's office, and with a final pinch of their arms, which made Tubbs cry out once more with pain, he flung the pair away from him.
"Don't you know it is disgraceful to fight?" he thundered.
"We weren't fighting—that is, not exactly," said Tubbs meekly.
"Silence! I saw the whole affair. Why, your nose is still bleeding."
"I don't care. It was Rover's fault, Mr. Grinder. He started the boys, and they all began to make fun of me. He wouldn't stop——"